Mattress construction



May 6, 1941. N. D. MATTlsoN 2,241,039

MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27, 1940 ATTORNEY Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,241,039 m'r'ranss coNsraUc'noN Norman D. Mattiaon, Montclair, N. J.

Application mu a1, 1940, smal No. 331,935

(ci. s-asn 3Claims.

ure conform to the contour of the body and thus avoid the concentration of pressure on 'too small an area. The factor of softness or yield of a mattress, however, is only one of the factors which is necessary to comfort in sleep. Other factors are the proper support for different parts of the body and sufficient resistance to permit the individual to change position or turn over with facility.

A feature of the present invention relates to a mattress having two definite stages of resistance to pressure, 'the ilrst stage giving the necessary resilience for comfort and the second stage oering that resistance required properly to support the body in a. substantially horizontal position and facilitate turning over or change of p0- sition.

The construction of the present mattress will better be understood by the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail of a spring unit; and

FigurelisaviewsimilartoFigure3ofa slightly modiiied construction.;

The mattress is provided with a cover I which extends over the surface of the mattress, the sides and the ends. Beneath the cover on each face of the mattress and at the sides and ends is provided the usual padding 2.

Each spring unit consists of a main spring 3 and an auxiliary spring 4, the auxiliary springs being within the main springs. In the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, each spring unit is supported midway between the faces'of the mattress by metal strips 6 and are suitably secured thereto. The strips I are not attached to the padding of the mattress, therefore, they may partake of some motion in an up and down direction as the springs are compressed. The auxiliary springs 4 do not extend to the under faces of the mattress but terminate short of each face as clearly shown in Figure 3. With this construction any weight on the mattress will first compress the springs 3 until the inner faces of the mattress contacts the auxiliary springs 4, at which time a definite increase of resistance will ensue.

All of the springs 3 preferably offer the same resistance to compression. 'I'he springs 4, however, are so constructed that they offer different resistance to pressure at different portions of the mattress. In that portion of the mattress indicated at A, Figure ll the auxiliary springs 4 oier the greatest resistance while the springs in that portion of the mattress indicated by B offer less resistance and the springs in that portion indicated by the letter C `,offer the least resistance. The resilience of the springs 3 is such as to yield with sufllcient readiness under the weight of the user to give the feeling of softness until they have been compressed to an extent which brings into play the auxiliary springs 4. These springs add their resistance to that of the springs 3 and their combined action produces a mattress having a comfortable degree of softness but such resistance to pressure that the body is supported in a substantially horizontal position thereby affording correct posture during recumbencyand providing for ease in turning over or in changing position.

In Figure 4 is shown a slightly modified form of construction in which the strips 6 are not used but instead the springs 3 and 4 are twisted together at their bases, as shown in the drawing at 3. They function in the same manner however, as the spring unit shown in Figure 3.

The springs may be prevented from undue movement out of the vertical by transverse ties 3 and longitudinal ties I0, Figure 2.

If found desirable, the springs 4 may be maintained centrally of the springs 3 in any suitable manner as by the use of cords as is customary in spring constructions.

What I claim is:

l. A mattress having the usual cover and the usual layer of padding inside the cover on both sides of the mattress, springs between the layers of padding, and auxiliary springs within said first mentioned springs to augment the resistance of said first mentioned springs when the latter have been subjected to a definite degree of compression, the resistance offered by said auxiliary springs being different in different areas of the mattress.

2. A spring mattress having the usual cover and the usual layer of padding inside the cover on both sides of the mattress, springs between the layers of padding, said springs oilering a certain resistance to pressure throughout the mattress, auxiliary springs within said rstmentioned springs, said auxiliary springs offering resistance to pressure after said rst mentioned springs have been compressed a denite amount, the auxiliary springs in the mid-portion of the mattress having the greatest resistance to pressure, springs at the head portion o'ering less resistance to pressure than the springs in the mid-section and the springs in the foot section oiering the least resistance to pressure, Ithe proportional resistance of said auxiliary springs being such as to support the body in a substantially brought into `action after said first mentioned springs have yielded a deiinite amount, said auxiliary springs oering different resistanoes to pressure throughout din'erent areas o1' the mattress.

NORMAN D. MA'I'I'ISON. 

